and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus doesn't just announce the kingdom of God; he declares that a specific, divinely appointed time for it has now reached its peak. This wasn't just a vague "God's reign is coming someday," but the precise moment prophesied for the Messiah's arrival and the inauguration of His reign.
and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After John the Baptist is imprisoned, Jesus begins his public ministry in Galilee. He immediately announces that a long-awaited era has arrived, proclaiming the imminent presence of God's kingdom and calling people to a decisive response. This sets the stage for his discipleship call and the unfolding of his miraculous works.
Jesus bursts onto the scene with a declaration that changes everything. 'The time is fulfilled' – what does that really mean for an audience waiting centuries for a promised Messiah?
When Jesus declares, 'The time is fulfilled,' He's not just saying 'it's about time!' He's announcing that a divinely appointed era has reached its climax. This wasn't a random moment; it was the culmination of God's promises throughout the Old Testament, particularly prophecies like Daniel's seventy weeks pointing to the Messiah's arrival and ministry.
A Promise Decades in the Making
Think of it like a carefully planned event years in the making. For generations, people had looked forward to the Messiah, the one who would bring God's reign to earth. Jesus is declaring that the waiting is over. The prophecies are coming true, and God's long-awaited plan is now actively unfolding through Him. This fulfillment ushers in a new reality, a decisive moment in history where God's power and presence become tangibly manifest.
Jesus' first public message is incredibly direct: 'Repent and believe.' These aren't suggestions; they're the foundational responses required to engage with the new reality He announces.
The core of Jesus' inaugural message consists of two inseparable commands: 'Repent and believe.' These are not optional extras but the essential, immediate responses to the news that God's kingdom has arrived.
Turning from Old Ways
Repent calls for a radical change of mind and direction. It means acknowledging that the old ways of living, thinking, and relating to God are no longer sufficient. It's a turning away from sin and self-reliance towards God's authority and rule. This isn't just about feeling sorry for past actions; it's a decisive shift in one's entire orientation.
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Embracing the Good News
Believe in the Gospel is the positive counterpart. It means entrusting yourself completely to the good news Jesus brings – that God's reign is here, offering forgiveness, reconciliation, and a new life through Him. This faith isn't passive assent; it's an active reliance on Jesus and the reality of His kingdom, recognizing Him as the King and Savior.
Understand the original words
kairos · Greek Noun
A fixed or appointed time in God's sovereign plan; it refers to the climactic moment when God’s redemptive purposes are coming to fruition in history.
basileia tou Theou · Greek Noun
The sovereign rule and reign of God; it represents the breaking in of God's authority into the world to redeem, judge, and establish His eternal order.
metanoeō · Greek Verb
A radical change of mind and direction; it involves turning away from sin and turning toward God in sincere obedience and trust.
pisteuō · Greek Verb
A firm conviction or trust in the truth of God’s word and the person of Jesus Christ; it is the fundamental response of reliance and submission required for salvation.
Jesus' announcement of 'the time is fulfilled' resonates deeply because it arrives at a moment of political and religious expectation, occurring shortly after John the Baptist's imprisonment and during a period of Roman occupation. This context highlights both the urgency and the significance of His message.
c. 27 BC
Herod the Great's Death
The death of Herod the Great, a powerful client king of Rome, created political instability and division in Judea among his sons.
c. AD 26
Pontius Pilate Appointed Governor
Pontius Pilate, a Roman equestrian, became the governor (prefect, later procurator) of Judea, overseeing Roman rule during Jesus' ministry.
c. AD 27-28— this verse
John the Baptist Imprisoned
Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, imprisons John the Baptist after John publicly rebuked him for his unlawful marriage and actions.
c. AD 28
Jesus Begins Public Ministry
Following John's imprisonment, Jesus begins His public ministry in Galilee, proclaiming that the prophesied time has come and the kingdom of God is near.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus is crucified in Jerusalem and, according to Christian belief, resurrected, marking the pivotal event of the Gospel.
This passage in Daniel prophesies a specific period of seventy weeks leading up to a time of righteousness and the coming of the Messiah, directly illuminating Jesus' declaration that 'the time is fulfilled.'
Galatians 4:4Paul echoes Jesus' proclamation by stating that 'when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son,' reinforcing the idea that Jesus' arrival marked a divinely appointed and completed era.
Matthew 3:2This verse presents John the Baptist's parallel message, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,' showing that Jesus' core message was a continuation and urgent call to respond to the imminent reality of God's reign.
Acts 2:38Peter's response to the crowd after Pentecost, calling them to 'repent and be baptized,' demonstrates the lasting significance and practical outworking of Jesus' initial command to repent and believe in the gospel.
Hebrews 4:2The writer here notes that the message preached to ancient Israelites was not of benefit because it was not 'perceived in faith by those who heard it,' highlighting the crucial and inseparable nature of 'believing the gospel' that Jesus emphasized.
calvinMark 1:14-15: "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,"
And when Jesus heard that Jesus had been delivered up, [317] he withdrew into Galilee. 17. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Now after that John had been imprisoned, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God: 15. And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is a…
gillMark 1:15: "And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."
And saying, the time is fulfilled,.... Either that which was fixed for the end of the law and prophets, the legal and Mosaic dispensation, and the Jewish church state; or the fulness of time for the Messiah's appearance in the world; which was agreed upon between the Father and the Son, was predicted in various prophecies, and the people of the Jews were in a general expectation…
Jesus doesn't just announce the kingdom of God; he declares that a specific, divinely appointed time for it has now reached its peak. This wasn't just a vague "God's reign is coming someday," but the precise moment prophesied for the Messiah's arrival and the inauguration of His reign.
After John the Baptist is imprisoned, Jesus begins his public ministry in Galilee. He immediately announces that a long-awaited era has arrived, proclaiming the imminent presence of God's kingdom and calling people to a decisive response. This sets the stage for his discipleship call and the unfolding of his miraculous works.
After John the Baptist is imprisoned, Jesus begins his public ministry in Galilee. He immediately announces that a long-awaited era has arrived, proclaiming the imminent presence of God's kingdom and calling people to a decisive response. This sets the stage for his discipleship call and the unfolding of his miraculous works.
"and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”" — Jesus doesn't just announce the kingdom of God; he declares that a specific, divinely appointed time for it has now reached its peak. This wasn't just a vague "God's reign is coming someday," but t…
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Last reviewed October 2026